I wonder how many had the same thought when they read about the lead content that VPIRG has discovered in decorative paint on VPR pledge-drive mugs issued between 2002 and 2011?
Were these mugs manufactured in China?
This would not be surprising since China has become the primary manufacturer of similar goods over the past decade or longer. Over that same period we’ve grown almost accustomed to news of Chinese products contaminated with toxins turning up in pet food, infant formula, childrens toys etc.
If not China, there is still a strong likelihood that the mugs were produced anywhere but in the U.S.
Judging from the consistent findings over those years, one would hazard a guess that they were all sourced from the same supplier or manufacturer, who either got religion with regard to lead paint or was dropped in 2012.
This story begs a second chapter, perhaps written by VPR itself, accounting for the source of the tainted tumblers and pointing to where else we might look for this hazard in our kitchen crockery.
who knew? Can’t even have an annoying fund drive anymore w/o something screwing it up.
And they came from China, pull out a lead swab from the hardware store (you can get kits for ~$11), and give it a swipe – especially on non-white areas.
One thing to watch for: if you’ve put it through the dishwasher and the image changed from glossy to matte or powdery, that’s often a hint that lead or another heavy metal in the ink is leaching to the surface.